What is the Official Languages Act of 1969?

The Official Languages Act is the federal statute that establishes English and French as the two official languages of Canada and sets out the rights and obligations of federal institutions in serving the public in both languages. The Act was first passed in 1969 under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, comprehensively rewritten in 1988, and modernised by Bill C-13 (an Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada's Official Languages) which received Royal Assent on June 20, 2023. The Act predates and is now reinforced by sections 16 to 22 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Act flows from the work of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism, appointed by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson in July 1963 and co-chaired by Andre Laurendeau and Davidson Dunton. The Commission reported in five volumes between 1967 and 1970, recommending that English and French be made equal official languages of Canada and that federal institutions operate bilingually. The 1969 Act implemented the central recommendations and established the federal Commissioner of Official Languages.

The 1988 Act expanded protections in five parts: official languages of Canada (Part I), language of work in federal institutions (Part II), communications with and services to the public (Part III), advancement of English and French (Part IV), promotion of English and French (Part V), and implementation by federal institutions (Part VI). Part VII committed the federal government to enhance the vitality of English and French linguistic minority communities. Bill C-13 of 2023 strengthened the Act by recognising the unique situation of French nationally, requiring private federally regulated businesses to offer French-language services in regions of strong francophone presence, and giving the Commissioner of Official Languages new enforcement tools.

The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages is an independent agent of Parliament. The current Commissioner, Raymond Theberge, was appointed in 2018. The Commissioner investigates complaints (about 1,400 a year), conducts audits and policy investigations, and reports annually to Parliament. Federal institutions including the Canada Revenue Agency, Parks Canada, the RCMP, Service Canada, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Crown corporations including the CBC and Canada Post, and the federal courts all operate under the Act. The federal Action Plan for Official Languages provides about $4 billion over 2023 to 2028 for minority-language education, services, and community development.